Uncle Zeref
by Mrotrax
Summary: Zeref Dragneel spends an afternoon with in nice while Natsu and Lucy are out. AU, fluff


Uncle Zeref

Plot: The older Dragneel brother spends an afternoon with his niece. Probably AU fluff.

 **Read and Review, feel free to expand**

"Wakey wakey, uncle Zeref!"

The mighty dark mage was stirred from his nap by the cheerful face of a little girl with pink hair and chocolate eyes. She stared at him as intensely as a 6 year old could before laughing and grinning a big toothy smile.

He smiled weakly and stretched his numb limbs

"Yes, Nashi?" He asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Mama and Papa are on a mission now." Nashi sighed.

"I see." Zeref noted, figuring what was going on, but deciding to continue. "What about your Uncles Gray and Gajeel and Aunties Juvia and Levy? Are they on missions too?"

Nashi nodded.

"And your friends?"

"Asuka, Zeuro and Belno are at school and won't be back until later." She pouted, a cough following.

"Oh right, you have a cold." Zeref said aloud before asking his niece why she wasn't with at school. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I slept all mourning and all of yesterday.' Nashi pouted before her eyes took on a begging look. "Uncle Zeref, can you play with me?"

Not too long ago, such a request would've either terrified or enraged him; his magic, under the contradiction curse, would've killed his niece unless he wanted her dead. There was a good reason he had spent over 400 years on Tenrou Island hiding from people.

That being said, to this day he was still surprised he'd managed to hide from Fairy Tail for so long.

That was until Natsu, after somehow defeating Acnologia with the help of his guild, had gone after the spirits of his academy and eventually found Ankhseram, who he soundly defeated. With that, the curse was lifted and Zeref regained his mastery of magic. Lucy Heartfilia, the beautiful and intelligent Celestial mage who had ultimately won Natsu's heart, had then written a book that told Zeref's side of his story.

Once the history books were reprinted and edited, thanks to testimony from Mavis and others who had known the dark mage on a personal level, Zeref had finally left his islands, abandoned mansions and other hiding places, joining the world again, Natsu steadfast at his side.

Now that he was a proud S-Class member of Fairy Tail, he and Natsu sparred frequently, Lucy watching from the sides and sighing with a smile. Zeref rarely went on missions, but whenever he did, he made more of a bang then Natsu ever had. Thankfully, he never caused property damage…but grievous bodily harm to the dark mages and mercenaries he ran across was now common knowledge.

Most of the time, he hung around the guild, sleeping and drinking. He and Nab had actually struck up a sort of friendship/rivalry over finding the perfect job that fitted their profiles.

And then Nashi had been born. The happiness she brought when her parents brought her home to the guild rivalled Happy's hatching. When Zeref first saw her, he knew instantly he found a reason to continue living a few more years at the very least; to see his brother's daughter grow up in the true great magic world and make sure it was there for her.

The fact that the pink haired baby girl had adored her uncle and clung onto him so much her papa got jealous certainly didn't hurt either.

"Please, uncle Zeref?" Nashi begged, her lower lip quivering and her puppy dog eyes brought out in full. Her uncle had come back a few days ago from an S-class mission and usually enjoyed sleeping a couple days before joining the world of living.

In his head, Zeref knew he should probably pick up his niece and put her back in bed before reading her a few of stories and the returning to his nap. It was certainly what Lucy and even Natsu (becoming a father really had changed him) would want.

"Of course, what would you like to play?"

"Ball!"

The two were soon kicking a ball around the field behind the guild, Nashi running through her uncle's legs and Zeref back flipping to catch up with her.

"No fair!" Nashi playfully reprimanded her uncle, unaware a magical circle suddenly appeared beneath her feet and a streak of fire appeared from her shoes, propelling the little girl into her uncle's chest.

Zeref pretended to be thrown into a tree, making his niece cringe in fear before he leapt back to his feet and dusted himself off.

"Neither is using your magic." Zeref shook his finger as if giving her a lecture. "Be careful Nashi; not everybody is as tough as me or Papa."

Before anyone asks, Zeref held no ill-thought of his sister-in-law; a powerful mage in her own right, she had survived all her crazy adventures with Natsu and had nearly destroyed Tartarus by herself. Heck, the fact she had romanced, married and bore Natsu's child was enough of an accomplishment in his mind. It was just that she and Nashi were still mortal while he and Natsu were not even human anymore

"Sorry Uncle Zeref." Nashi apologized, avoiding her uncle's eyes in fear of him being angry at her. Instead, Zeref simply smiled and opened his arms for a hug, which he was quickly given.

"How about we go see if Mirajane has any ice cream for us?" Zeref suggested, a playfully evil look on his face. Lucy was adamant about Nashi eating healthily so she not only turned out as beautiful as her and her own mother had been, but so to hopefully curb Natsu and Zeref's big eater habits.

She had been successful, mostly. But on a mission with Natsu, Nashi could get away with anything if her uncle was okay with it.

"Ice cream!" Nashi beamed, running to the bar and trying to leap onto a stool beside Erza, who sensed Zeref and motioned him over with his niece.

"Hello Nashi!" Mirajane and Lisanna beamed at the little girl and waving to her panting uncle, who had raced after her. "What'll it be?"

"Strawberry ice cream al mode with extra fruit please, Auntie Mira!" The little girl hopped. "Uncle Zeref says it okay, auntie Erza."

Erza simply messed the little girl's hair as she returned to her strawberry cake

"As long as it's strawberry, I veto any no ice cream talks from your parents!" She declared loudly before glaring at the other mages. "RIGHT MAGGOTS?!"

"YES MASTER ERZA!" The members, Zeref included (mostly just for fun) saluted.

"And you, Zeref?" Lisanna asked her childhood friend's brother, already knowing his answer.

"Fire bourbon milkshake." The former dark mage panted as he sat down and took Nashi onto his lap.

A few minutes, their orders were placed in front of them and the Dragneel family members enjoyed their cold snacks."

"Uncle Zeref, can you tell me a story?" Nashi asked as they munched on ice cream.

"What kind of story?" Zeref asked.

"A story about you and papa."

"Me and papa?" Zeref mused, tapping his chin. "Hm, let's see…."

Zeref had no shortage of those, and regaled Nashi of the time Natsu had sworn he'd discovered how to fly without magic…by flapping his arms superfast and kicking like crazy. Surprisingly, he'd been airborne for a few seconds.

"And then he fell on his crown and swore revenge on the air." Zeref smiled, laughing a little bit with other guild members who had overheard. "I think that's the real reason he gets motion sickness."

"One more!" Nashi demanded, Gajeel, Grey and Laxus sharing her interest so that they'd have blackmail material on Natsu.

Just then, the other children came home from school, calling Nashi over to play and give her homework. Nashi looked over to her uncle, silently asking permission to join them.

"Go have fun, sweetheart." He smiled warmly. "But don't overdo it and be back in two hours so we can head home."

Nashi gave her uncle a peck on the cheek

"Thank you Uncle Zeref. I love you."

"I love you to Nashi." Zeref whimpered, tears in his eyes building like any other time he heard someone say those words to him.

He then returned finished his drink and waved his guild mates goodbye for the day, heading back to his favorite tree.

"You are such a softie." Mavis smiled sweetly at her former mentor from a branch

"She's my niece, of course I'm a softie." Zeref yawned, getting comfy.

The first Fairy Tail master than sat down Zeref and just sat there. They enjoyed each other's company now that the conflict had been destroyed. Mavis could see her mentor was truly happy here, and would guide her followers towards greatness.

"I'm really happy for you, you know." Mavis smiled as she stretched. "I always saw you as a fellow founding member of Fairy Tail; you did teach us magic and all."

"Is this what you envisioned when we…"

"Let's not talk about that." Mavis cut him off, not enjoying the memory of telling Zeref her guild and by extension, his own brother would crush him.

"Right."

"To answer the question though, no."

"Thought we weren't talking about that."

"I was just answering what you started…"

"Don't you have a plan to plan or something? I'd like to sleep if you don't mind. Nashi really drained me."

"…for a supposed sleeper, you're awful chatty."

"So are you, for a ghost."

"Jerk."

"Kid."

"Baka."

"Gaki."

"I win!" Mavis cheered.

Zeref sighed and plugged his ears.

"Why didn't I keep Nashi with me?"

Two hours later…

"Nashi, we're back!"

The little girl looked around to see two familiar faces. A beautiful blonde woman and muscular salmon haired man with warm smiles and eyes filled with nothing but love for her. She dropped her dolly and raced towards them as the woman bent down and opened her arms.

"Mama! Papa!"

Lucy took her daughter into her arms, wrapping her into a hug. Natsu wrapped the two lights of his life into his own arms, kissing his daughter on the forehead.

"Feeling better baby?" He asked.

Nashi beamed

"All better papa! Uncle Zeref played ball with me and bought me ice cream!"

"Where is Zeref anyway?" Natsu asked, looking around the guild for his brother. "He owes me a spar."

"Last I saw, he was heading for a nap." Erza told him.

The Dragneels gave their report before heading off in search of their wayward member. As they walked, Nashi let out a yawn.

"Aww, is someone sleepy?" Lucy cooed.

"A little, mama." Nashi rubbed her eyes

"We're tired too baby." Natsu smiled. "That mission was boring and the council droned on and on and on…"

Happy suddenly shushed his mother and pointed to an adorable scene; Nashi had escaped her mother's grasp and was now cuddling with her uncle.

"She loooves Uncle Zeref." He smiled evilly before sighed. "Just not the same…."

"How about we sleep here tonight?" Lucy suggested. "We're tired and the pantry is empty."

Natsu was already sitting down and motioned his wife to join them.

"No demand for a spar?" She teased.

"It can wait til morning." Natsu yawed. "Besides, sleeping with you, Nashi and Zeref sounds pretty nice after that mission."

"Ahem!"

"And you too Happy."

The Exceed smiled and nestled onto Natsu's head.

Zeref smiled as he slipped further into sleep, his family falling asleep next to him.

 **Read and review, feel free to do sequels or re-do in your own ways**

 **AN: Zeuro os Grey and Juvia's son, named after Zero and Ur, and Belno is Gajeel and Levy's daughter. I can't remember how I came up with her name**


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